Free Mate Claimed by Jennifer Ashley Page A

back into the house.
    Iona smelled of wild female, full of need. Eric wanted to grab her by the nape of the neck, haul her up the stairs to her bedroom, shut the door behind them, and not come out for a week.
    Iona had put on sweatpants as Eric had told her to on the phone, and she wore a cropped sports shirt that doubled as a bra, its collar hugging her throat.
    The honed body the small shirt revealed didn’t help Eric’s frenzy. They might not even make it to the bedroom.
    “Ready?” he asked.
    Iona nodded. She clenched her teeth, her eyes definitely Shifter.
    They quietly left the house again, Eric leading her to his bike.
    Iona took the helmet he handed her but didn’t put it on. “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.”
    “You’ll get it. Helmet first, then hold on to me when you’re on.”
    He straddled the seat and held the bike steady so Iona could mount behind him. Even with her helmet, she looked sexy as hell, felt sexy as hell cuddled up to the back of him.
    Iona figured out how to rest her feet, then wrapped her arms around Eric.
    The night suddenly got warmer. Eric coasted the bike down the driveway, starting it up when they swung out into the street.
    Eric took them north, out of the city, back to the empty country. Feeling Iona’s lithe body against his loosened something inside him, dissolving the last of the pain that had debilitated him this afternoon.
    He opened up the bike once they cleared the suburbs, racing it down the highway under the stars. Iona’s arms tightened around his middle, her strength making him stronger.
    Eric took them well off the road, down dirt trails only he knew, the bike’s light slicing through absolute darkness. The eyes of startled animals glittered in the sudden glow, then faded back out of the way.
    The trail ended in a wash. Here, Eric killed the engine. Iona slid off, hopping a little until she got her leg over the seat, then she ripped off the helmet.
    She was smiling. “Is that what it’s always like?”
    “Nothing’s better than a Harley when you can let it rip,” he said as he dismounted. “Now, strip.”
    He could tell Iona was far gone in frenzy, because she didn’t even blink. She started shedding clothes, and once she was free of them, she shifted.
    Though it took her a couple of minutes, this shift was easier for her than the last time Eric had seen her do it. Maybe because her frenzy was strong tonight, maybe because her wildcat was dangerously close to taking over.
    As soon as she was panther, Iona hit the ground running. Eric quickly got out of his clothes, flowed into his leopard shape, and bounded after her.
    Though the panther was fast, Eric’s snow leopard caught up to her quickly. They ran side by side through a wide, sandy wash and then turned and loped along its far bank, dodging brush, rocks, and soft patches of dirt.
    Eric sensed the terror of smaller creatures among thecreosote and sage. The animals were picking up on Iona’s need to hunt, to chase, to feed.
    Iona ran and leapt and scrambled, climbing up a hill, gravel scattering. Eric was at her heels.
    The last time he’d chased her, she’d run in fear and anger. This time, he could tell, she ran for the enjoyment of it.
    And for her wild need. Iona’s voice when she’d called him tonight had been half-crazed, Iona barely containing herself. A run might settle her tonight, but her mating hunger wouldn’t stop until it was satisfied. Or it killed her.
    Iona made it to the top of a ridge and raced along it, never minding the sharp stones and prickly weeds. Eric bounded after her, shouldering his way in to run beside her on the edge of the cliff. His need to protect her was powerful, and one missed footfall could mean her death.
    Iona growled and sprinted past him, leaving him in the dust.
    Eric doubled his speed. Iona’s tail whipped across her back in annoyance, then she picked up the pace even more, running recklessly along the top of the ridge.
    As soon as they hit a wide